Alyeska Pipeline Service Co. now moving peak Prudhoe flow

Journal Article · Mon Feb 25 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Oil Gas J.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5502862

Turpin, F G

The trans-Alaska crude pipeline (TAPS) has functioned smoothly during its 2.5 y of operation. A pump installation program completed in 1979 (more pumps will be installed in 1980) and the use of Conoco Inc.'s proprietary drag-reduction additive has enabled TAPS to move crude at the optimum Prudhoe Bay production rate, 1.52 million bbl/day, with the capability of increasing the flow rate slightly and briefly. The additive is expensive, so that if reserves increase enough to justify increasing capacity to the ultimate limit of 2 million bbl/day, it will be done by adding pumping capacity. TAPS has been fully operational more than 97% of the time. The aboveground portion of the pipeline is virtually trouble-free. The 9 million bbl storage capacity of the Valdez terminal enables shipping operations to continue if either TAPS flow or shipping operations are interrupted. A major issue facing Alyeska involves the routing of the Alaska Highway gas line, which will parallel TAPS for 455 mi, and which, according to one proposal, would cross TAPS 63 times.

• OSTI ID: 5502862
• Journal Information: Oil Gas J.; (United States), Journal Name: Oil Gas J.; (United States) Vol. 78:8; ISSN OIGJA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
022000* -- Petroleum-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
03 NATURAL GAS
032000 -- Natural Gas-- Transport
Handling
& Storage
ALASKA GAS PIPELINE
ALASKA OIL PIPELINE
ARCTIC OCEAN
BAYS
BEAUFORT SEA
CAPACITY
ENERGY SOURCES
FLOW RATE
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
INSTALLATION
OPERATION
OPTIMIZATION
PETROLEUM
PIPELINES
PROPOSALS
PRUDHOE BAY
PUMPS
ROUTING
SEAS
STORAGE
SURFACE WATERS
TERMINAL FACILITIES